ObamaHawk

President Obama finally stood up for America in his Peace Prize acceptance speech.  I think some self-interest was involved.  Life can't be easy for a man whose checklist includes "threaten political opponents," "send more troops to Afghanistan," "bomb Pakistan, " and "pick up Nobel Peace Prize."

Still, I've gotta give credit where credit is due
Paul at Powerline gives props to President Obama for finally standing up for our values in his Nobel acceptance speech.

But fundamentally I think Obama delivered a mostly thoughtful discussion (as these things go) of how to reconcile our lofty ideals with the existence of evil, and how to reconcile the occasional need to go to war (including at times for humanitarian reasons) with the tragic nature of any actual war.

Michael Ledeen at NRO also gave it a thumbs up, saying some parts were "downright neoconnish."  Here's the part of the speech Ledeen liked best:

America will always be a voice for those aspirations that are universal. We will bear witness to the quiet dignity of reformers like Aung Sang Suu Kyi; to the bravery of Zimbabweans who cast their ballots in the face of beatings; to the hundreds of thousands who have marched silently through the streets of Iran.

It is telling that the leaders of these governments fear the aspirations of their own people more than the power of any other nation. And it is the responsibility of all free people and free nations to make clear that these movements — these movements of hope and history — they have us on their side.

He should have said this months ago, but at least he finally said it.

Jake Tapper provides a comprehensive review of the speech and the "Obama Doctrine" that emerges from it (It looks a lot like the Bush Doctrine, but shhhh!, don't tell anybody!)

From the speech:

"There will be times when nations -- acting individually or in concert -- will find the use of force not only necessary but morally justified. As someone who stands here as a direct consequence of Dr. King's life work, I am living testimony to the moral force of non-violence.

Nonviolence Doesn't Work Against Nihilists
Yes.  Nonviolence works against American citizens stubbornly clinging to a racist past, or a British empire steeped in the values of Western Christendom.  But it will NEVER work against those who are hell bent on imposing their illiberal dystopian ideas by force of death and destruction. 

We don't need revolutions and armed insurrections in the US; we have constitutional freedoms and the ballot box.

We conservatives should support our president when he defends freedom, and that's what he did in Oslo.  Was it Reaganesque?  Hell no!  But it was a start.

Does it Smell Like Hope in Here or Did Somebody Just Cut One?

The president went to the international freakshow at the International House of Corruption and Scandal Wednesday. A day when the Mad Dog of Maghreb Qaddafi foamed at the mouth for over 100 minutes.

So here's a question. Which egotistical potentate stood up at that international improv and did the following?

... casually embraced the consensus view that the US engaged in torture?

... applauded the idea that the USA must strip itself of all nuclear weapons?

... bragged that his country had joined torturers Cuba and Saudi Arabia on the UN "Human Rights" council?

Here are a few direct quotes:

No world order that elevates one nation or group of people over another will succeed. No balance of power among nations will hold.

The traditional division between nations of the south and north makes no sense in an interconnected world. Nor do alignments of nations rooted in the cleavages of a long gone Cold War."

"wealthy nations that did so much to damage the environment in the 20th century"

"The United Nations does extraordinary good around the world in feeding the hungry, caring for the sick, and mending places that have been broken."
* He forgot to mention raping victims of war and famine in Africa, and stealing food from the mouths of Iraqis during the Hussein regime. -ed.

Of course, Barack Obama, the Jimmy Carter for the new millennium, said these things.

One wag observed that if some foreign leader had given that speech during the Bush, or even Clinton years, our delegation would have walked out.

And from the depths of his wisdom and vision, he brought forth this daring statement of the obvious:

Today, I put forward four pillars that are fundamental to the future that we want for our children: non-proliferation and disarmament; the promotion of peace and security; the preservation of our planet; and a global economy that advances opportunity for all people.

Propaganda Minister Gibbs later came out and announced Obama was also for blue skies, rainbows, and a pony for each child of the world. He also released this statement by the president:

"To achieve a nuclear free world we must eliminate nuclear weapons. Peace can only happen if we end war. Air, food, and water are essential for human life."

And did you hear what Venezuelan tin pot dictator Hugo Chavez said during his speech?

Mr. Chavez looked around him at the green-marble podium and said, "I don't smell sulfur anymore. It's gone. Now, it's the smell of something else -- it's the smell of hope. You have to have hope in your heart."

Don't you feel better now that this assembled rabble of torturers, perverts, rapists and international scam artists has finally greeted an American president with thunderous applause?

President's Speech to UN
Rich Lowrey - President's Speech

Government Health Care for All, and Other Fairy Tales

Government-run health care is a hopium smoker's pipe dream

Do Obama and the Pelosicrats think we're fools? Ordinary Americans know there's no such thing as a free lunch. Here's a quote from the Wicked Witch of the West Coast's spokesmouth:

 The Pelosi camp, for its part, sees no reason to be discouraged.“The Congress will pass and the president will sign this year health insurance reform that will lower costs, retain choice, improve quality and expand coverage,” said Pelosi spokesman Nadeam Elshami. (The Hill)

... And this just in! 
The Tooth Fairy has announced she's now paying $1000 per tooth and Santa's elves are working overtime to meet Jolly Old St. Nick's pledge to double the amount of goodies under out trees this year!

Meanwhile, back in the real world, congressmen are listening to a burgeoning cohort of constituents who don't believe this crap anymore.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A leader of a pivotal group of moderate House Democrats says he can no longer support a new public insurance plan in a health overhaul bill. [...]

But Ross said that after hearing from constituents over the recess he could not support a bill with a public plan. (AP-Breitbart)

The following Democratic lawmakers have indicated opposition to the healthcare plan moving through the House. (The Hill)

John Adler (N.J.)
Jason Altmire (Pa.)
John Barrow (Ga.)
Dan Boren (Okla.)
Rick Boucher (Va.)
Allen Boyd (Fla.)
Bobby Bright (Ala.)
Travis Childers (Miss.)
Jim Costa (Calif.)
Henry Cuellar (Texas)
Parker Griffith (Ala.)
Frank Kratovil (Md.)
Betsy Markey (Colo.)
Eric Massa (N.Y.)
Jim Matheson (Utah)
Charlie Melancon (La.)
Walt Minnick (Idaho)
Tom Perriello (Va.)
Earl Pomeroy (N.D.)
Heath Shuler (N.C.)
Bart Stupak (Mich.)
John Tanner (Tenn.)
Gene Taylor (Miss.)

When you run as a "Conservative Democrat," your constituents expect you to vote like one.